Electrical plug and socket connection



Dec. 11, 1934 'I c, H. REYNMOLDS 1,983,675

ELECTRICAL PLUG AND SOCKET CONNECTION Filed Dec 50, 1929 7 2, .m%/// g z N 'INVENTORs/A [8 /wnH/l/I/Im\\\\\\\"\\\ W 1 E3, 6 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES ELECTRICAL PLUG AND sooKE'r CONNECTION Charles H. Reynolds, Malden, ,Mass assignor-to Albert & J. M. Anderson Manufacturing Company, South Boston, Massachusetts Mass, a. corporation of Application December 30, 1929, Serial No. 417,368

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a casing or receptacle provided with an opening which is closed by a spring-actuated cover member, and is hereinshown as embodied in the socket member of a plug and socket electrical connection, to which socket member the cover is pivotally connected. The casing or receptacle will be hereinafter referred to as the socket member.

The invention has for its object to provide a superior socket member and one having provision for quickly and easily assembling the cover and its actuating spring on the socket member, and also for renewing the actuating spring in case it becomes broken.

The invention further has for its object to ensure, closure of the cover by its spring under all conditions of use, as will be described.

The invention also has for its object to maintain the electrical e-fficiency of the socket member at its maximum under conditions of use as Will be described.

The invention further has for its object to provide a socket member which is mechanically and electrically superior and which can be produced at a minimum cost.

These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a socket member embodying this invention with the cover in its closed position;

Fig. 2, an opposite side view of the socket member with the cover in its open position;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, a section on the line 44, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5, an enlarged detail of a portion of the socket member shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6, an enlarged detail to be referred to.

Referring to the drawing represents a casing or receptacle containing circuit terminals 12, 13, which co-operate with the casing 10 to form the socket member of a plug and socket electrical connection. The plug member is not hereinshown but is inserted through the open end 14 of the socket member to make contact with the terminals 12, 13, in a manner well understood.

The open end 14 of the socket member is normally closed by a cover 15 when the plug member is removed from the socket member as represented in Fig. 1, and is opened by the operator into the position shown in Fig. 2 when it is desired to insert the plug member into the socket member and eifect the electrical connection desired, and remains in such position when the plug is in the socket member.

Provision is made for automatically closing the cover when the plug member is withdrawn from the socket member. To this end the cover member 15 is preferably provided with a barrel 16,

shown bestin Fig. 3', in which is located a coiled spring 17 having one end connected with the barrel so as to rotate the cover member under one condition and having its other end rotatably connected with a rotatable device located at the opposite end of the barrel. The barrel 16 and its attached cover 15 are mounted to turn on a pintle or pivot pin 18, which is supported at one end by a lug or ear 19 attached to the socket member and at its other end is attached to a rotatable device, hereinshown as a; hub 20 provided at its outer end with a head or' disk 21 having notches 22 for a purpose as will be described. The hub 20 is extended through an opening in a lug or ear 23, which opening is of substantially the same diameter as the internal diameter of the barrel 16, andv said hub is preferably made of sufiicient length to extend into the end of the barrel 16 adiacent the lug or car 23.

. The spring .17 is provided at what may be considered its front end with a straight portion or crank 25v which is extended into a hole 26 in the rotatable member 20, whereby one end of the coiledv spring 17 is connected with the rotatable member so as to be wound up and placed under tension or torsion sufi'icient to automatically close the cover.

' The spring 17 is held in its wound-up condition as herein shown by means of a set screw 126, which entersa suitably threaded socket 27' in the lug or ear'23 andpasses through one of a series of notches 22 in the disk 21, the said screw acting to secure the disk 21 in fixed relation to the lug or ear 23 and thereby in fixed relation to the casing or socket member 10.

The rear end of the coiled spring 17 is also provided with a straight portion 30, which is passed through a hole 31 in the bottom or end Wall of the barrel 16, and said end of the spring is thereby connected with the barrel so as to rotate the same and move the cover 15 into its closed position.

In the present instance the straight inner end of the spring is shown as provided with a bent portion 32 located outside of the barrel and acting to prevent disengagement of the inner end of the spring from said barrel under normal conditions of use, until such time as it may be desired to renew the spring, if so required.

The barrel 16 may be provided with a projection 34 which is adapted to engage the casing of the socket member 10 when the cover is in its open position as represented in Fig. 2.

The above described construction permits the spring 17 to be quickly and easily removed from within the barrel 16, as all that is necessary to do is to straighten out the bent end 32 of the spring, remove the screw 126 and then withdraw the pintle and the rotatable hub 20 from the barrel 16. The end 25 of the spring preferably fits into the rotatable hub 20 sufficiently snug to ensure the removal of the spring from the barrel when the hub 20 is withdrawn from the opening in the ear 23.

A new spring can be inserted into the barrel by inserting the straight inner'end of the spring into the hole 30 in the bottom of the barrel and then entering the straight portion 25 of the spring into the hole in the hub 20 and driving the pintle into the hole in the ear 19, after which the disk 21 can be rotated by a suitable tool until the spring 17 has been placed under the desired tension, and when so placed, this tension maybe maintained by anchoring the spring to the socket member 10, which is efiected by inserting the screw 126 into its socket 27, the screw passing through the appropriate slot 22 in the disk 21 to prevent rotation thereof by the spring 17'.

After the spring has been inserted into the barrel, it may be anchored thereto by turning up the end 32 of the barrel as represented in Fig. 8.

In the present instance the hub 20 and its disk 21 are shown integral with the pintle 18, but it is evident that the pintle may be made separate from" the hub and disk and connected therewith in any suitable manner.

It will be observed that by rotation of the disk 21 the coil spring 17 may be provided with power to ensure the closing of the cover under all conditions of use, and it will be observed also that no opportunity is afforded for dirt to enter the barrel in sufficient quantity to prevent the spring from closing the cover under all conditions of use.

Preferably the hub 20 extends into the open end of the barrel 16 as herein shown, so as to not only form a closure for this end ofthe. barrel and thereby reduce to a minimum the chance for moisture to enter the barrel and set up electrolytic action'between the parts therein when the latter are made of dissimilar metals, but also to prevent the entrance of dirt, and further to act as a bearing member for the open end of the barrel.

Qne embodiment oi the invention is herein shown, but it is not desired to limit the invention to the construction shown.

What is claimed is:

, 1. The combination with a receptacle provided with an opening, of a cover co-operating with said opening and provided with a barrel open at one end, an ear on said receptacle provided with an opening, a disk provided with a hub rotatably mounted in said ear and extended into said barrel, a coiled spring insertable into said barrel and having one end connected with the barrel and its other end connected with the hub of said disk to be Wound up by rotation of said disk, means for securing said disk in fixed relation to said ear, and a pintle extended through said barrel and supported at one end by said receptacle and at its other end by said hub.

2. The combination with a receptacle provided with an opening, of a cover co-operating with said opening and provided with a barrel open at one end, an ear on said receptacle provided with an opening of substantially the inner diameter of said barrel, a rotatable device mounted in said ear, a coil spring insertable into said barrel through said ear and having one end connected with said barrel and its other end with said rotatable device, and a pintle supported at one end by said receptacle and at its other end by said rotatable device.

3. The combination with a receptacle provided with an opening, of a cover cooperating with said opening and provided with a barrel open at one end, an ear on said receptacle provided with an opening, a rotatable device mounted in said ear, a coil spring insertable into said barrel through said ear and having one end connected with said barrel and its other end with said rotatable device, a pintle supported at one end by said receptacle and at its other end by said rotatable device, a disk carried by said rotatable device and abutting the outer surface of said ear, said disk having openings therein, and means passing through one of said openings and engaging the ear whereby said disk is held in fixed position.

CHARLES H. REYNOLDS. 

